This disclosure relates generally to the field of robotics, and particularly to novel structures suited to assisting robotic end effectors in grasping particularly compliant objects, such as bagged items.
Conventionally, a robotic end effector may include a number of robotic fingers that grasp a target. Typically, the target is grasped between the fingers and then moved from place to place. When lifting a compliant object, such as an object in a bag or loose wrapping, the object may slip out of the fingers' grasp when lifting the object, accelerating, or decelerating. This problem can be compounded when the bag or wrapping is filled with a product that is capable of shifting within its container; during movement of the object, the shifting of the product can cause forces to be applied unevenly to the bag or wrapping, making it more difficult to securely grasp the target.
Consequently, the objects must be grasped relatively tightly by the fingers to avoid slipping or shifting of the target. This can damage the products contained in the bag or wrapping, and may not guarantee that the objects will not continue to slip or shift.